The UFC is a competition that comprises a combination of martial arts. While the sport has existed for several years, it only came into the limelight with the rise of amazing fighters in the last decade. Today, the UFC is one of the biggest sporting event with a massive following worldwide. The UFC has witnessed unique moments within this period, ranging from bizarre instances to major upsets. We have listed some of the memorable instances during these championship in the section below.
- Post-Fight Brawl at UFC 229
The UFC 229 edition is considered by many the greatest fight of all time. The fight involved Khabib Nurmagomedov against Conor McGregor. The trash-talk between the two fighters before the bout crossed every line. While this became incredibly personal, the whole world was even more shocked by the events following the fight.
Khabib happened to win the fight through submission, although his immediate action sparked chaos inside and around the octagon. He immediately threw his mouth guard at an official in McGregor’s corner, prompting a vehement brawl between the two parties. It became so ugly that several of Nurmagomedov’s team members jumped McGregor from behind.
- Forrest Griffin Leaves Octagon before Decision
In the UFC 148 edition, Forrest Griffin was scheduled for a bout against Tito Ortiz. This encounter was the last one for Ortiz, so it meant a lot for him as he concluded his career. Griffin put up a great show to deny Ortiz a clear win, so it came down to the judges’ decision. As all eyes turned to the judges for the final announcement of the winner, Griffin shocked everyone by leaving for the locker room. He thought he had lost even before the announcement.
Dana White, the UFC president, had to intervene and personally brought back Griffin for the announcement. The surprising bit is that Griffin was declared the winner, although he went ahead to disrespect Ortiz by conducting a bizarre interview after snatching his mic.
- Holly Holm Knocks Out Ronda Rousey
The UFC women’s division is equally an exciting segment of this championship. Ronda Rousey is a decorated fighter, and everybody expected her to keep the title when she came to face Holly Holm. Holm was the underdog, and even the UFC betting sites had allocated her massive odds compared to Rousey. Out of the six opponents that had challenged Rousey for the title, only one made it beyond the first round.
As the fight started, many expected Rousey to finish Holm in the first few seconds. However, she gave an underwhelming performance compared to her previous bouts. In the second round, Holm kept firing and managed a kick on Roussey’s head. This knockout earned her the championship title as she produced one of the greatest upsets of the competition.
Despite a decorated career, Anderson makes this list of memorable moments for the wrong reasons. The UFC is a violent sport, and every time a fighter jumps into the octagon, there is a chance that they will sustain MMA injuries. During the UFC 168 edition, Anderson Silva was lined up for a bout with Chris Weidman. In one of his moves, Anderson released a kick, landing with his shin that bent horribly in an unnatural way. The referee was forced to end the match. This shocking injury derailed Anderson’s career for quite a long time.
- Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir 2
The 2009 fight featuring Brock Lesnar and Frank Mir is a landmark fight. To this day, fans still talk about it because it ushered in an era of high-degree fights. It was unclear who could win this fight, although bookmakers had favored Lesnar to win despite his loss in the 2008 encounter. This bout is memorable because it marked a phase of rigorous betting in the UFC. To the expectations of many, Brock Lesnar won the fight through submission. It was among his last victories in the championship.
- McGregor Attacks Khabib’s Tour Bus
The Khabib vs. McGregor fight was full of drama, even before the real fight could occur. Besides trash talks that went personal, McGregor attacked Khabib on a bus while on tour. McGregor grabbed a chair and smashed the bus windows, and demanded to fight Khabib at that very moment. However, Khabib restrained himself, and no fight ensued. Police later arrested McGregor. When he was arraigned in court, he pleaded guilty, although he avoided a jail term.
